"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the
LORD shall be praised!" Proverbs 31:30

Every girl is a lover of beauty. Beautiful homes, beautiful
furnishings, beautiful flowers, beautiful clothes, beautiful faces —
anything wherein beauty is found, there will be found girls to admire
it. From the time her little hands can reach up, and her baby lips can
lisp the words, she is admiring "pretty things." And when a little of
that beauty is her own — her pleasure is unbounded.
Every girl longs to be beautiful. There is in woman a nature, as
deep as humanity, which compels her to strive for good looks. There is
no more forlorn sorrow for a young girl, than for her to be convinced
that she is hopelessly ugly and undesirable. Oh, the bitter tears
that have been shed over freckles, or a rough and
pimply skin — and the energy that has been expended in painting
and powdering and waving and curling herself into
beauty!

A desire to be beautiful is not unwomanly. But, mark it:
true beauty is not of the face — but of the
soul! There is a beauty so deep and lasting,
that it will shine out of the homeliest face and make it lovely! This is
the beauty to be first sought and admired. It is a quality of the
mind and heart — and is manifested in word and deed.

A happy heart,
a smiling face,
loving words and deeds, and
a desire to be of service —
will make any girl beautiful!

A beautiful soul shining out of a homely face — is far more attractive
than a beautiful face out of which looks a soul full of selfishness and
pride!

Let your chief charm be of heart and mind — not of face and form.
Seek the true beauty which lasts even into old age!

Solomon, in one of his wise sayings, expressed plainly the evil that
comes to a woman who is beautiful of face, but lacks the true beauty of
soul: "Like a gold ring in a swine's snout — is a beautiful woman
who shows no discretion!" Proverbs 11:22. As the swine would plunge the
golden jewel into the filth and the mire as he dug in the dirt — so will
a pretty woman who is not godly, drag her beauty down to the very
lowest.

There are many peculiar temptations to those who are only lovely
of face. Without true beauty of soul — a pretty face is a dangerous
gift!

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as
braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead,
it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle
and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight!" 1 Peter 3:3-4

There is no more gracious provision for our happiness, than what is
contained in that brief saying of Scripture, "You do not know what
will happen tomorrow!" James 4:14

If we knew in full, in this grief-stricken world, all that would befall
us in the future — how sad would existence be! It would leave
even prosperity without a note of gladness; for the certainty of
losing our blessings, would rob us of all their enjoyment
while we retained them. And thus moments of unbounded pleasure, would be
clouded with the dark characters of anticipated sorrow.

How would the mother's joy be marred, as the object of her tender
solicitude and affection was sporting by her side, or as she hung over
the infant cradle — if she could pry with certainty into the future, and
read the mournful sequel of that little history — the lingering
sickness, the early grave, the blighted hopes, the desolated household,
the broken heart. To know the future, would convert the few brief
years of possession of her blessing, into consecutive hours of
agony — the consciousness and foreknowledge that every moment was
drawing nearer the fatal one — sitting by Time's sand-glass and
marking grain by grain, as they dropped and fell, until the last grain
of the diminishing heap announced, "The long-dreaded hour has
arrived!"

But, thank God that the future is veiled! The storm and coming wreck are
concealed, in order that the calm of the present waveless sea may be
enjoyed.

Yes, we again say, thank God for hiding the
future, and allowing us only to be conversant with the joys
and sorrows of today.

"Gehazi asked: Is it well with the child?
And she answered: It is well." 2 Kings 4:26

The woman had left her only child dead in her
home, and was riding in haste to the prophet Elisha to tell
him of her sorrow. Yet on the way, in answer to an inquiry concerning
her child, she answered, "It is well."

Our Christian faith may always say the same in any circumstances
of affliction or trouble or sorrow. This is our Father's world!
God has all power and could save us from any sorrow or suffering
if He wished. He is all-loving, and when He permits any trial to
touch us, it is because it will be a blessing to us. He is all-wise,
and knows what is best for us.

We do not know what is best for us. We would make pitiful work of
our life if, for even a single day, our affairs and experiences were
left in our own hands! But in God's hands, no mistake will ever be made.
Whatever may come, therefore, we may say always, "It is well!"

"He has done all things well!" Mark 7:37

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good
to those who love God, to those who are called according to His
purpose!" Romans 8:28

Thomas said to Him, "Lord, how can we know the
way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way" John 14:5-6

This is the first day of a new year. We are setting out on a journey
of which we can have no knowledge in advance. The road is one
on which we never have gone hitherto. We know not what any day will have
for us . . .
what our duties will be,
what burdens shall be laid upon us,
what sorrows we shall have to endure,
what battles we shall have to fight.

We cannot see one step before us! How can we know the way?

As we sit in the quiet, this first evening, and ask
the question, we hear an answer which is full of comfort. Jesus says to
us, "I am the way!"

All we shall have to do, therefore, will be to follow Jesus. He
has made a way through this dark world for us. He has gone over
all the journey and opened a road for us at great cost. He went over the
way Himself — we shall find His shoe-prints at every step.

He has a definite way for each one of us. Every mile of the
journey He has chosen — and every place where I pitch my tent He
has selected for me!

"Leaving you an example, so that you should follow in His steps!"
1 Peter 2:21

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Lord Will
Provide!

"So Abraham called that place Jehovah-Jireh —
The Lord Will Provide!" Genesis
22:14

Write deep in your heart this New Year's day, this word of sublime
confidence: Jehovah-Jireh. It tells you . . .
that you can trust God always;
that no promise of His ever fails;
that He does all things well;
that out of all seeming loss and destruction of human hopes, He
brings blessing.

"You have never traveled this way before." Joshua 3:4. There will
be sorrows and joys, failures and successes, this year, just as there
were last year. You cannot forecast individual experiences. You cannot
see a step before your feet! Yet Jehovah-Jireh calls you to enter
the new year with calm trust in Him. It bids you put away all anxieties
and forebodings, "The Lord will provide!"

"And of Asher he said: Your shoes shall be iron and
bronze. As your days — so shall your strength be!" Deuteronomy
33:24-25

Asher's portion would be rough and hilly. Common shoes of leather would
not last. The promise meant that Asher would have shoes that would
endure the wear and tear.

For us, the promise suggests that we
shall have some hard climbing in our upward journey — or we
would not need iron shoes. It assures us also that we need not dread any
hardness we may find in our life for the future, for it will be
provided for. We shall have shoes of iron to wear, and then we shall
not mind the steep and rugged paths.

God leads us nowhere, without providing for the special difficulties in
the way.

We have the same assurance in the words that follow, "As your days — so
shall your strength be." For easy days, we need less divine help
and receive less. Then when the hard days come, the help will
increase accordingly. There is not a step in all our journey for which
God will not give us help, when we come to the place where we need it.

"Your shoes shall be iron and bronze. As your days — so
shall your strength be!"

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting
arms!" Deuteronomy 33:27

Of course God has no arms; but He reveals Himself to us in human
language — the only language we could understand.

We know what a mother's arms, a father's arms, mean to a
child. But human arms are frail, and any hour their embrace may be
withdrawn. The other day a child was grieving by his mother's coffin —
but the arms which had clasped the boy always so tenderly, could not
move to comfort him.

But the arms of God are "everlasting." God holds His redeemed children
in the strong embrace of His love! No matter what may come to us of
danger, of calamity, of terror — they will still and ever enfold us.

These arms of God are ever and always "underneath" us.
However low we may sink away in
pain, in weakness, in sorrow — we shall never sink out of the divine
arms! Jesus said no one can snatch His loved ones out of His hands.

In death, when we shall sink out of every human embrace — we
shall still be in the clasp of God's love and His everlasting arms will
be underneath us. Such a word as this assures us of eternal security in
God's love!

"The Lord hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him!"
Exodus 16:8

The fact that God hears all that we say, ought to make us guard our
words. But does God really hear every fretful word we say?
Does He hear when we grumble about the weather, about the hard
winter, about the late spring, about the dry summer, about the wet
harvest, and about the grub-worm? Does He hear when we grumble
about the drought, about the high winds, about the storms?

Does He hear when we complain about the hardness of our lot?

If we could get into our hearts and keep there continually, the
consciousness that every word we speak is heard in Heaven, and falls
upon God's ears before it falls upon any other ear —
would we grumble as we now do?

We are always on our guard when we think that anyone is within hearing.
Are we as careful concerning what we say in the hearing of our heavenly
Father?

We are careful, too, never to speak words which would give pain to the
hearts of those we love dearly. Are we as careful not to say anything
that will give pain to the heart of Christ?

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know
what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have
learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
Philippians 4:11-12

We are always at school. Our business here on earth, is to learn.

The Christian virtues and graces are not put into our lives, as one
hangs up pictures on the wall of a room — finished and perfect in their
beauty. Rather, we have to paint the pictures
ourselves!

Paul tells us that he had learned contentment. It did not come
into his life at his conversion, as a gift from his new Master.

The word he uses indicates, too, that the learning was not easy.
He says he knew both how to be filled and to be hungry. That is, his
contentment did not depend on circumstances. He had the secret in
his own heart, and he was content through all manner of experiences.

But it was not always so with him. His contentment was not a matter of
temperament, nor was it a divine gift — he had learned
it! Nor was he a young man when he said this — it had taken him
years to learn the lesson.

It is the same with all the beautiful things in Christian character — we
have to learn them! We have to learn to be patient, to be
thoughtful, to be at peace, to be loving, to be kind, to be humble and
meek.

One tells of a young girl who became wondrously beautiful in her life,
growing into a rare Christ-likeness. Her
friends wondered what the secret could be. She wore a
little locket upon her bosom which she always kept closed, refusing
to allow anyone to see within it. Once, however, when she was very ill,
a friend was permitted to open it, and found there only a small piece of
paper, bearing the Scripture verse, "Whom not having seen, I love."

This told the whole delightful story. Her love for the unseen Christ
was the secret of that beautiful spiritual life which had so impressed
itself upon her friends.

If we love the unseen Friend, our life will be steadfast in all
trial, and will be transformed little by little into the beauty of
Christ!

"Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord
listened and heard. A book of remembrance was written in His presence
concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name. 'These
shall be Mine,' says the Lord Almighty, 'in that day when I make
up My jewels!'" Malachi 3:16-17

In the prophet Malachi's time, when nearly all the people had forsaken
God, there were a few who were faithful. These met together and spoke
one to another. They became very dear to God, and a book of
remembrance was kept in which their names and their faithfulness
were recorded.

"These shall be Mine in that day when I make up My
jewels!"

Jewels are valuable. God gave His beloved Son for the redemption
of His chosen people.

Jewels are prepared by cutting, grinding, and polishing, until
they shine in brilliant beauty. God's people are subjected to many
painful trials and experiences in preparing them for their heavenly
home.

Jewels are used for adornment and for honor. They shine in
the king's crown. The saints in Heaven shall shine as jewels in Jesus'
crown!

If only we knew how precious we are to God, and what hidden glory shall
be ours, waiting to shine out at last — we would rejoice with
unspeakable joy!

What do a few troubles and pains matter now, if it is only the work of
God's chisel and hammer cutting away
the hindering crust, to reveal the precious diamond!

"Gather the fragments that are left over. Let nothing be wasted."
John 6:12

"Waste not, want not," says the proverb.

It seems remarkable that He who could so easily multiply the few loaves
into an abundant meal, should be so particular about saving the
fragments that remained left over. But He would teach us economy
by His own example.

The lesson applies to other things besides
bread. We should never waste anything! Many people
waste whole years of time in the little fragments which they lose
every day. If, at the end of a year, they could gather up all these
fragments, they would have many basketfuls of precious pieces of
golden time.

In mints where gold is coined, the sweepings of the floor, the settlings
of the water in which the men wash their hands, the very smoke from the
furnaces, are all carefully swept through for fine particles of precious
gold; and during the years large sums are recovered in this way.

If only we would learn to care as scrupulously for the fragments of
the precious things which pass through our hands, we would be far
richer at the end of our life.

"For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his
own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to
live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory." 1
Thessalonians 2:11-12

Like the apostle Paul, we should strive to be encouragers.
He who makes it harder for a brother to live nobly and do his work well,
has sinned against one of Christ's little ones.

We dare not go about among our fellows saying discouraging things,
dispiriting things — for if we do, we are imperiling those whose burdens
are already as heavy as they can bear. One disheartening word may cause
them to weaken and sink down in despair.

The law of love bids us bear one another's burdens, and there is
no other way in which we can do this so effectively, as by living a life
of joy. He who goes among men throughout the day with glad heart and
cheerful face, speaking some encouraging words to everyone he meets,
saying something uplifting in every ear — is a wonderful inspirer of
strength, courage, and hope, in others. His is a divine ministry of good
to others. He makes every one a little braver and stronger. Weary
plodders pluck up fresh energy after meeting him. Fainting ones
awake to new courage when his hopeful words have fallen upon their ears.
The influence of such a habitual encourager
never can be measured!

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other." 1 Thessalonians
5:11

"Whatever you do, whether in word or deed — do it all in the name of
the Lord Jesus." Colossians 3:17

To do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, is to
do it as Jesus would do it, if He
were in your place. One may do the lowliest things in a heavenly
way — and another may do heavenly things in a worldly way. One
may work in the humblest calling — and live a saintly life; while
another may be engaged in what is called a sacred calling — and
yet may do his work in an undevout manner. A street-sweeper may
be more saintly, may live nearer to God, and may be a better follower of
Jesus — than a minister who is busy in incessant religious
duties.

Browning represents the angel Gabriel taking a boy's tasks
in this world, doing the work well, and praising God meanwhile.

We have something finer even than that, however, not in a mere poet's
imagination — but in the gospel narrative. Jesus, the son of God, came
to earth, lived a human life, and worked at a common trade!

"Yes, yes, a carpenter — same trade as mine,
It warms my heart as I read that line.
I can stand the hard work, I can stand the poor pay,
For I'll see that Carpenter at no distant day!"

"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done." John
13:15

"Leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps!" 1 Peter
2:21

We should be always kind. Nothing is more helpful than kindness. Nothing
else does more to brighten the world and sweeten other lives.

Kindnesses are the small coins of love.
We should always be ready to scatter these coins wherever we go.
Kindnesses are usually little things that we do as we go along our daily
path — wayside acts, touches, words, little helpful things. We never
know when we do any little thing in love for Christ, what the end
of it will be — what a harvest of good will finally come from it. It is
better to do a thousand little kindnesses every day, than to do
a great deed of love once in a year, and then fail to be kind in
the common days.

"God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His
holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later
on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those
who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:10-11

We are not in this world merely to have a pleasant time — but to be
fashioned into beauty of Christly character. If we would always
remember this, we would not be so perplexed by
the mysteries of our lives.

If joy is ours — it is to make us a greater blessing to others.

If sorrow is ours — it is to bring out Christ's image in us more
clearly.

If our hopes are disappointed — it is because God has some better
thing for us, than that which we so earnestly desire.

If we are called to endure pain — it is because godly character
can only be matured by affliction.

If bereavement comes and we are left without the human arm we
have always leaned upon — it is because there are elements of character
in our life which never could be developed unless the human support were
removed.

If our burdens are heavy — it is because we grow best under
burdens.

If we suffer wrong — it is to teach us better the great lessons
of meekness, patience and sweet temper.

Always the Master is making us into the beauty of the holy
pattern He has set for us, and preparing us for greater usefulness and
better service!

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to
those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Romans 8:28

"After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And
after the fire came a gentle whisper." 1 Kings 19:12

It is not in noise that God usually reveals Himself in greatest
power. He works silently, without noise.

Jesus was a still small voice in this world. He did not strive nor cry
out; neither was His voice heard in the streets. He did not break a
bruised reed, so gentle was He in His goings and in His workings. Yet
that one sweet, quiet life, pouring forth its spirit of love and
tenderness, wrought more than has been wrought by all the armies of
conquerors since the world began!

In the same way, it is the silent things, the
unconscious influences of our lives, which make the deepest
and most lasting impressions — and not the things which get advertised
in the papers, and are most talked about.

If we would be effective in our work, we must learn to work quietly.

The greatest preacher is the one who most deeply impresses men,
in matters that affect their living and serving, inciting and inspiring
them to worthy deeds and beautiful godly living. The best Christian
workers are those who make the least noise. We never can do our best
work if we have not learned to work quietly, for Christ glory, and not
for our own exaltation.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of
His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they
display knowledge!" Psalm 19:1-2

GOD IN NATURE! I love to trace there the
footsteps of my Father!

His watchful stars look down kindly and lovingly from their
heights.

There is a touch of beauty even in Alpine solitudes — the piles
of driven snow like white mantles woven by angels; the translucent light
of fairy grottoes, their roofs pendent with icicle, and distant or
overhanging peaks gleaming with the gold of the morning, or with evening
ruby.

That great and wide sea, with its dancing waves and troughs of
chameleon hue.

The whisper of the forest and the sympathetic music of its
million leaves.

The pastures clothed with flocks, the valleys also covered
over with grain.

The sparkling rivulet winding its thread of silver, singing with
gentle ripple, and taking its part in the blessing of Creation.

The Almighty has thus put His loving and creative thoughts into His
world. We can devoutly say, "How precious also are Your thoughts unto
me, O God; how great is the sum of them!"

Yes, with all this apparent to his vision — who can see and recognize
the Great Ruler of all — only in mists and storms, the boom of
the thunder, the flash of the lightning, the tremors of the earthquake,
and the havoc of the avalanche? These are the abnormal occurrences in
His mighty sway — a few exceptional notes in the great hymn and
harmonies of eternal love.

Spurning, indeed, all baseness and vileness, all mere lip-homage
and hypocrisy.
Upsetting all false human ideals and empty philosophies.
At war with conventional empty religious rituals.
Denouncing every white-washed sepulcher that serves only to screen
spiritual rottenness.

But welcoming . . .
many of those who were looked at askance by their fellows;
some who were the subjects of social ostracism;
those deemed fit only to be trampled, as bruised battered flowers,
underneath the feet;
the repentant harlot and sinner, the prodigal, the outcast, the lost.

His heart is a very hive of tenderness . . .
washing His disciples' feet in token of humility;
standing by the grave of buried affection;
wiping away the tear of bereavement;
calming the paroxysms of untold sorrow;
arrested by the penitential sighings of the contrite spirit.

In a word, imparting . . .rest to the weary and heavy-laden, hope to the desponding,sympathy to the mourner, healing to the brokenhearted; and
finally showing, in the scenes of Gethsemane and Calvary which crowned
that Incarnation of suffering love — what He the Divine Man could
do and dare for perishing sinners.

The kindness of the kindest on earth has a limit — His had none.
Human affection and love may come and go — but His flows on forever!

"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with
lovingkindness I have drawn you!" Jeremiah 31:3

"Jabez called on the God of Israel saying: 'Oh, that You would bless
me indeed!' So God granted him what he requested." 1
Chronicles 4:10

There is much apparent good not worth calling by the name. What
the world speaks of as blessings are, some of them, often
worthless, and many of them positively evil and detrimental. They are
counterfeits — they do not bear upon them the coinage and currency
of Heaven. Satan has disguised them — stamped them as true metal — while
they are base alloy!

Let us leave our blessings, and the method of their bestowal, with the
Giver of every good and perfect gift — into His hand committing
our earthly all, with this prayer of intense fervor yet of simple faith,
"Oh that You would bless me indeed!" I want nothing which
the world calls a blessing, unless You think it proper for me. I want no
shadows — no baubles. I do not ask for riches —
they may be a snare to me. I do not ask for . . .
the cup running over,
the barns full,
the fig-tree blossoming,
the home-nest without the thorn.
These might alienate me from Yourself, and bind me only closer to earth!

I want blessings indeed. God of Israel! I am no judge of this.
Whatever YOU give, will be a true blessing to me. And even if You take
it away — I will strive to believe that the dark, painful dealing,
is Your kindness to me also.

Yes, we repeat, the world's pleasures
are often curses in disguise — like Cleopatra's
viper, which was hidden in a basket of flowers. There is often . . .
an adder lurking in the bed of roses,
a fly in the ointment,poison in the wine-cup!

But the blessings of God are blessings bearing His own divine seal and
signature. They may come . . .
in frowning providences,
in baffling dispensations,
in strokes of the chastening rod.
For the present they may seem not joyous, but grievous. But I am
content to be in His hands — joyful or sorrowful, in health or in
sickness, living or dying. O my Father, give Your own blessing, and I
shall bow my head in submission; for I can only hear in it accents of
paternal love!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A meaningless gospel, a meaningless
god, and a meaningless savior!

(Don Fortner)

"You shall call His name Jesus, for He will
save His people from their sins!" Matthew 1:21

The angel's message to Joseph was a message of grace,
redemption, and salvation to sinners. By God's command, He was named,
"JESUS," Savior, because He was sent by God to save His people
from their sins. What He is called, that He is — Jesus, our
Savior.

The Lord Jesus came into the world to save "His
people" from their sins. Those He came to save were His people before
He came to save them, His by eternal election. There are some people
in this world, an elect multitude, chosen in Him before the world began,
who are peculiarly and distinctively His people, the objects of
His everlasting love, chosen in Him unto salvation (Ephesians 1:2-6; 2
Thessalonians 2:13).

The Lord Jesus Christ is an almighty, effectual
Savior! He saves His people from . . .
the penalty of their sins — by His blood atonement,
the dominion of their sins — by His regenerating Spirit,
the being of their sins — when He takes them out of this
world,
all the evil consequences of their sins — in resurrection
glory!

Universal love,
universal grace, and universal redemption — is meaningless love,
meaningless grace, and meaningless redemption. To preach such, is to
preach a meaningless gospel, a meaningless god,
and a meaningless savior!

"You shall call His name Jesus, for He will
save His people from their sins!"

"I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have
refined you in the furnace of affliction!" Isaiah 48:10
Afflicted one, you cannot believe it now — but you will come
out from that furnace seven times purified in the refining fires of God.

The course of instruction is long, and the lessons are many.
The learning is not merely intellectual, but essentially practical. It
is not enough to know what a Christian life should be — what
qualities and virtues go to make up Christlikeness.
We are to learn to live the things which
are Christly! We are not merely to know what self-denial,
patience, unselfishness, thoughtfulness, and kindness are — but we are
to get these qualities wrought into our own disposition and character!

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do
them!" John 13:17

Probably prayer is less neglected in
devotions, than is the reading of the Bible. Many people who
would not go out any morning without a few moments of prayer, will go
forth day after day into the thick of life's duties and perils, without
reading even a verse of Scripture! They feel the necessity of asking God
to keep, guide and bless them — but they fail to realize that it is in
and through meditating on His Word, that God chiefly gives His richest
and best blessings.

It is in His Word, that God reveals Himself.
We cannot know what He is like, nor what the attributes of
His character are — unless we ponder the Scriptures. We cannot learn
what God's will is, nor what He would have us to do and to
be — if we do not look into His Word. There is nothing that we
need more, than to hear God speaking to us every morning. This is
possible, only as we open the Bible and let its words whisper their
messages to us.

No matter how familiar we may be with the teachings
of the Scriptures, we need to ponder them anew every morning to
keep their pure ideals and lofty requirements ever before
us, lest we allow our standard of holy living to be lowered.

A celebrated painter always kept some purely-colored
stones on his table. When asked by a visitor why he did so, he said it
was to keep his eye up to tone. When he was working in pigments,
unconsciously his sense of color was weakened. By keeping a pure color
near him he brought his eye up to tone again, just as the
musician by his tuning-fork brings himself up to the right pitch. In
the same way, we continually need to turn to God's Word to keep our
thoughts, and character, and life up to the true standard.

Rubenstein used to say that he could never omit his
dailypractice on the piano, for if he did, the quality of
his playing would at once begin to deteriorate. He said that if he
missed practice for three days — the public would know it; if he
missed practice for two days — his friends would know it; and if
he did not practice for even one day — he himself knew it!

It is no less true in Christian life, that in order
to keep its holy tone up to what it should be, there must never be a
break in the continuity of the study of God's Word. If we leave off for
only one day, we shall become conscious of a loss of power in
living. If for two successive days we fail to look into God's
perfect law, our friends around us will notice the failure in the
beauty, the sweetness and the grace of our character and disposition. If
for three days we fail to study the Scriptures, to see how God
would have us live, even the people of the world will see a lowering of
the spiritual quality of our life!

One of the ways the Bible helps us, is by making
Christ known to us. The noblest Christian is he before whose eyes, the
character of Jesus shines in brightest splendor. Indeed, it is only when
we have clear visions of Christ, that we really grow like Him.

"It seems to me," says a writer, "that nowadays men
think and talk too much about improving their own character — but
meditate too little on the perfectness of the divine character." Christ
will never appear really great in our eyes, unless we make His Word our
daily study. And only as He becomes great and glorious in our thought —
will our character and standard of life be lifted up to what they should
be.

Many of the blessings we seek in prayer, can come to
us only through the Word of God:

We ask to be kept near the heart of Christ —
but our Master tells us that only those who keep His commandments shall
abide in His love. In order to keep His commandments, we must
know them — and we can know them only by reading and re-reading
them.

We ask God in the morning to guide us through the
day, and in one of the psalms is the prayer, "Order my steps
according to Your Word." That is, God leads us by His Word. If then we
do not read the words of God, how can we get His guidance?

The leading He promises is not general, by
long stretches — but by little steps. The Psalmist says, "Your Word
is a lamp unto my feet." It is not said that prayer is the
lamp — but the Word. We must carry it in our hand, too, as one
carries a lantern to throw its beams about his feet.

We pray to be kept from sin, and in the
Scriptures one says, "Your Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not
sin against You." Our prayers to be kept from sin, can be answered only
by getting the Word of God into our heart!

These are suggestions of the necessity of reading
the Bible daily, as well as of praying. Neither is complete in
itself alone. We must talk to God — but we must also listen to God talk
to us through His Word. We must pray for blessings — but only through
the divine words of Scripture, can these blessings come to us.

"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have
shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your
Father who sees in secret, will reward you openly." Matthew 6:6

In the Christian's devotional life, prayer has
an essential place. The godly men of the Bible were all men of prayer.
Jesus, who showed us in Himself the ideal Christian life — had regular
habits of prayer. He who would live the Christian life well, must
regularly commune with God!

It is important, however, that we understand clearly
what it is to pray. It is not enough that at stated times we go
over certain forms of prayer. We only pray, when we speak to God
what is in our heart as a desire, a longing, or a burden.

Jesus teaches that we are to pray to God as our
Father. We must come to Him, therefore, as His redeemed
children — with the genuineness, the simplicity, the confidence of
children. When we stand at God's throne of grace and speak the name
"Father" and ask for a child's blessing — we are sure of instant
welcome.

Many people think of prayer only as coming to God
with requests. They only tell Him their needs. They never bow
before Him nor speak to Him, unless there is something they wish Him to
do for them.

What would you think of a friend of yours who never
came to you nor talked with you, except when he wanted to ask some favor
of you? True friendship finds many of its sweetest moments, when there
is no help to ask — but when only love's communion fills the happy time.
It should be so in our relation with our heavenly Father. If we care to
be with Him only when we have a favor to ask of Him — then there is
something lacking in our love!

We are not to suppose that when Jesus spent whole
nights in prayer, He was making requests all the time. He went
away from the trying, struggling, troublesome life of the busy days
among the people — to find shelter, rest, and renewal of strength, in
sweet converse with His Father. Just so, most of the time we spend in
prayer should be given to communion with God.

A minister relates that one Saturday morning, when he
was in his study preparing his sermon, his little child opened the door
and came in, stealing softly to his side. Somewhat impatiently, the
father turned to her and asked, "What do you want, my child?"

"Nothing, papa," the child replied. "I only
want to be with you."

This is oft-times the only desire of the true
Christian when he comes to pray. He has no requests to make —
he just wants to be with his Father!

The most profitable season of devotion, is that in
which there is also meditation upon God's Word. It is related of
a godly Christian who was known to spend much time in his prayer-closet,
that a friend once secreted himself in his study to learn something of
his devotional habit. The godly man was busy all the evening at his
work. At eleven o'clock he put away his books and pen and opened his New
Testament. For a whole hour he bent over its pages, reading, comparing,
pondering the sacred words. Sometimes he would linger long over a sweet
verse and his heart would glow with rapture. When the clock struck
twelve, he closed the book and sought his bed.

He was not once on his knees during all the hour. He
offered no petition in words. He had spent the whole time in
communing with God in His Word, breathing out his love, his
adoration, his longings and desires — and receiving into his heart the
assurances, the encouragements, the promises, the joys of the Father's
love.

There could be no better way of devotion than this!

Praying alone, without meditation on the Word of God,
meets only one phase of our need. We talk to God when we pray. But it is
quite as important that God talks to us — and He will only talk with us,
when we open the Scriptures and wait reverently to hear what He will say
to us.

What is the HELP that we are to receive from
prayer?

First of all, prayer holds us close to Christ. We
breathe Heaven's air when we commune with Christ. Life in this
sinful world is not easy. It has its struggles, its duties, its
difficulties, and its sorrows — which exhaust our strength. Hence we
need continually to return to Christ to have our grace renewed.
We cannot live today, on yesterday's food; every morning we must pray
for our daily bread. Nor can we be faithful, strong, happy and
helpful Christians today — on yesterday's supply of grace. We need to
pray daily. Thus our life is kept from running down, and we are held
near our Master all the while.

The true Christian life also grows — and it
can only do so by daily communing with God. Our life should never run
two days on just the same level. The days should be ladder
rungs lifting our heart ever a little higher, nearer to God, into
purer air, into loftier experiences, into holier consecration.

Prayer brings God down into our life. It was when
Jesus was praying, that He was transfigured. True prayer always
transfigures! One who lives habitually with Christ, becomes like
Christ. Our earthly affairs become means of grace, if Christ is with us.
Prayer lifts all the experiences of our life and lays them in the hand
of Christ — who makes them all work together for our eternal good!

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He
named it 'Ebenezer' saying: Thus far has the LORD helped us!"
1 Samuel 7:12

What a retrospect will that be at the end of life's journey! The rough
paths, the jagged precipices, the valleys of humiliation — all will be
seen to have been bathed in the luminous light of God's love. There will
be nothing more but to erect earth's farewell monument, and to
carve upon it, "Ebenezer!"

"And we know that God causes all things to work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are called
according to His purpose!" Romans 8:28

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God!" 1
Corinthians 1:18

It will never cease to be one of the marvels of Christianity, that her
antidotes are the same in every climate, every age, and every
bosom. Just as the chemist can infallibly pronounce on the action of the
various elements he throws into his crucible — so in
the Gospel crucible, cast the human
heart in its every form and type, that of . . .
the degraded African,
the superstitious Hindu,
the ferocious Arab,
the reprobate European —
the Gospel of Christ, by a heavenly alchemy, melts that heart! It
dissolves . . .
the pride of reason,
the power of superstition,
the curse and misery of vice! It is the only universal balm!

It was tried . . .
on ignorant fishermen of Galilee,
on poor wayside beggars of Judea,
on hardened Roman soldiers and
on crouching slaves of sin and Satan.
It was tried on the great persecutor of the church — and by him on the
disciples of Plato on Mars Hill. It was tried amid the tears of Bethany
— and amid the courtly splendor and uncongenial influences of Caesar's
household. And in not one of all these varied cases, has it failed!

The king clothed in ermine,
the pauper clothed in rags,
the statesman in his senate-house,
the merchant at his desk,
the artisan in his workshop,
the cottager at her wheel —
all feel the power of the same Gospel, all own the beauteous simplicity
of the same healing words, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ — and
you shall be saved!"

The pride of title and the pride of riches — hereditary
rank — high-sounding names — barns filled to repletion — piles of
hoarded gold — these are the world's coveted
possessions!

But pause and ask:
Will these bribe death?
Will these arrest the winged arrow in its flight?
Will these ferry a man easier across Jordan?
No!
The monarch and the slave;
the king and the peasant;
the millionaire and the beggar
— are the same at last!

But, here is a glorious title — enduring riches which death cannot rob,
and the grave cannot spoil, "Beloved, now we are children of God;
and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when
He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is!" 1
John 3:2

"In Your presence is fullness of joy! At Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore!" Psalm 16:11

"And we know that God causes all things to work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are called
according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also
predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son!" Romans
8:28-29

In that great block of uncut marble, there is, in the mind of the
sculptor, a slumbering angel. As chip by chip flies off, the form
becomes crudely and slowly developed. In the course of time — after
months of long labor — his conception is realized, and the masterpiece
is completed.

God is the Supreme Sculptor, and it is very often by
the chisel and mallet of affliction
that He is now fabricating and fashioning His people for Heaven. The
tools are in His hands. Let us trust Him that no stroke is
unnecessary or redundant in the working out of His own Divine ideal,
which is nothing short of this, "to be conformed to the image of His
Son."

"Now He who has fashioned us ('chiseled' — so the word means) for
this very thing is God." (2 Corinthians 5:5)